Unconditionally
by Chibi Spitfire
Summary: "I'm Johanna! What's your name?" It only took those few words for Sakazuki's life to be completely turned upside down. It only took that one chance encounter for the young future Admiral to be completely smitten with a spunky, independent girl and to decide in that one instance that he'd never be able to forget about her. Akainu/SakazukixOC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Every love story has a beginning, but not every story is a chapter in a fairy tale and not every story has a happy ending. _

_One thing is for certain though, we all get one chance at finding that one true love, our soul mate, and if you are so lucky as to find that person, no matter what the circumstances may be in finding that person, then you may count yourself truly blessed... _

"Hi!"

A young ten-year-old boy blinked and looked up from his current task of building a fort out of sticks. He turned his head one direction, then turned it in the opposite direction, but the boy couldn't find the owner of the voice. Grumbling, he decided to go back to his handiwork and forget about it, but...

"Whatcha doing here?"

Suddenly a blur of white was right at his side and the boy jumped back, tripping over his own feet and falling right on his ass. "OW!"

"Ooh y'know, you should be more careful where you're walking! Don't want to fall over like that again, do ya?"

His head snapped up, eyes narrowed into a deadly glare as he got a better look at this individual who had dared to interrupt his important building time. What he hadn't expected to find was a curly-haired girl no older than he was, grinning down at him.

The girl extended a hand down to him, smiling all the while as she waited for the boy to take her hand in his. He took the opportunity to get a look at what she wore, a nice dress with nice shoes, making him even more aware of the tattered pieces of clothing he himself wore. The boy stared at the hand offered before grumbling and slipping his hand into hers.

She quickly tugged him to his feet, the moment he was steadied she jumped right into his face. "I'm Johanna! What's your name?"

The boy took a staggered step back, blinking owlishly as he got a better look at this girl who he had just met. He opened his mouth to give her a piece of his mind, to tell her to go away and leave him alone to his fort building but...

Her wide blue eyes were sparkling with excitement, white curls bouncing around her face as she rocked herself back and forth on the heels of her feet.

He forced himself to swallow, and instead of telling her to go away, he found himself answering her question. "Um, I-I'm Sakazuki."

Johanna's nose wrinkled and she let out a little giggle. "That sounds like an old man's name, I don't like it."

Sakazuki felt his jaw tic and he whipped his head to the side, feeling his cheeks flush from slight embarrassment. "W-Well no one asked you for your opinion! If you don't like it then you can just go back to wherever you came from!"

He huffed, turning his back to Johanna in order to go back to his poorly crafted fort. The boy stiffened upon feeling a light tap to his shoulder and looked over his shoulder to find the girl giving an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to be rude but... It's just that your name doesn't really suit you, I mean you seem like a really interesting person with the way you're working on this fort so I thought you'd have a name to match too!" Johanna's brow furrowed as she looked Sakazuki dead in the eye. "So, I'm going to call you Saka instead! Alright, Saka?"

He could feel his eyebrow twitch at the audacity this girl had at just assuming she could call him whatever she pleased. "Hey! You can't just-"

"Great! So what exactly are you working on here, Saka?" She ignored his protests, leaning closer in toward the fort to get a better look at it for herself.

He huffed, arms crossing in front of him as he watched Johanna out of the corner of his eye. "Don't touch anything! It took me forever to get it the way I wanted it to be and if you mess any of it up-"

"This is so awesome!" Johanna squealed in excitement, whirling around and clapping her hands as she faced Sakazuki again. "Can I help? Please please please? I promise I can be of some help if you'd let me! Honest!"

Now Sakazuki was a loner, always had been. He had no family, no friends, he had always been alone since he had been born and that was the way he liked it. He certainly wasn't about to let some annoying little girl try and have her way with his important work!

But the young boy found himself stopping once again upon looking at the girl who was flashing him a brilliant smile. The ten-year-old felt his cheeks warm and he quickly looked away, shoulders shrugging slightly. "Do whatever you like," he mumbled under his breath. "Just don't get in my way!" His head snapped back to Johanna who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Great!" She reached out, grabbing onto one of Sakazuki's wrists before dragging him back to the fort. "Let's get to work then, Saka!"

"Don't tell me what to do! ...And don't call me by that name! My name is Sakazuki, not Saka!"

"Whatever you say, Saka!"

And so, a strange and unlikely friendship was formed that day between the pair. They had worked and worked on the fort until they both deemed it to be as perfect as they could have possibly made it, and once they had finished their work, the two children put the fort to good use, playing and roughhousing as children did.

The sun began to set after several hours of play between the two and Sakazuki found himself not wanting the girl to leave him.

"Do you really have to go? You could stay here! With me! Then we could play like this everyday!"

Johanna gave a sad smile before slowly shaking her head. "I wish I could Saka, but I can't... Daddy will be here soon and then we'll have to leave."

The young boy's fingers slowly clenched into fists at his sides, anger slowly rising within him as he quickly whirled around and turned his back to the girl. "Fine, then just go! I didn't want you here anyway!"

Johanna remained quiet at first as she stared at Sakazuki's back. Then after a few moments of tense silence, the white-haired girl reached a hand out and gently grasped one of his clenched hands with her own. "But Saka, aren't we friends?"

Sakazuki stiffened upon feeling soft fingers grab his hand and hearing Johanna's question. "F-Friends?" He hadn't thought of it like that... After all, he had never had friends, most everyone ran the other way when they saw the boy, but here this girl was wanting to actually be his friend.

It blew the ten-year-old's mind.

Slowly, he turned and faced Johanna again, dark eyes meeting her own bright blue orbs. "You really... You want to be my friend?"

Johanna giggled, squeezing Sakazuki's hand tightly. "Of course I do silly! Why wouldn't I want to be your friend?"

The boy shrugged. "I dunno, nobody's ever wanted to I guess..."

Blue eyes blinked and Johanna's face screwed up into a look of annoyance, huffing as she shook her head quickly. "Well they're all stupid! You're a great person and a great friend!"

"You really think so?" Something inside the boy wanted to believe Johanna's words, he realized that he actually _wanted_ Johanna to be his friend.

"JOHANNA!"

The two younglings jumped at the sound of a booming voice, Johanna squealing and rushing toward the tall man wearing the standard uniform for an important Navy officer.

"Daddy! Daddy I had so much fun today! I've even made a new friend!"

Johanna's father grinned and scooped his only child up into his arms, spinning her around. "You did?! Wahahaha! That's wonderful Johanna!"

"He's right over there! His name's Saka!"

The boy grit his teeth, growling under his breath. "I told you before it's Sakazuki!"

Suddenly Rear Admiral Barker stopped in place upon hearing his daughter say that her friend wasn't a she as he had originally thought, but rather a he... Ice blue eyes narrowed to slits as he turned his attention to the boy before putting his daughter back down to her feet.

"So," Barker began, arms crossing in front of him. "You're my little girl's new friend?"

Sakazuki suddenly realized just how scary Johanna's father really was right in that instant, swallowing forcefully before nodding once. "Y-Yes..."

Barker snorted and Johanna quickly stepped out in front of Sakazuki, hands planted to her hips as she glared up at her father. She knew that particular look in her father's eyes all too well... "Daddy! You be nice to my friend!"

The overprotective father stared over Johanna and right at Sakazuki, deadly intent very apparent in the father's gaze. He didn't trust any male with his little girl, after all she was the only family he had left, and something in his gut told him to be extra cautious around this young boy that he had never even laid eyes upon before today.

That boy would someday try to defile his little girl, he just knew it!

"Johanna, say your goodbyes. We'll be getting on the ship soon and leaving." With that, Barker turned and left his daughter and her friend behind in order to return to his ship.

Johanna and Sakazuki watched Barker's back until he was out of sight, the girl then sighing as she turned to her friend. "I guess I have to go..."

"Oh..."

Johanna quickly lifted her hand out to Sakazuki, pinky extended out to the boy who merely stared at the finger, blinking in confusion.

"Wh-What are you-"

"Promise me!" Sakazuki blinked again, but Johanna continued before the boy could respond. "I want you to promise me that we'll stay friends no matter what!"

All Sakazuki could do was nod, his own pinky poking out and curling around Johanna's. The little girl's features relaxed and she beamed before throwing her arms around the boy, kissing his cheek quickly.

"We'll see each other again someday, I know it!"

With that, the curly-haired girl bounded off in the direction her father had gone, stopping to turn around and give Sakazuki a big wave before once again turning and running off.

The boy was completely and utterly dumbfounded. A hand slowly made its way to his cheek, to the place where Johanna had kissed him. That had been the last thing he had expected, but... He found he didn't really hate it.

In fact, it merely made him want to see Johanna again. He knew he had to see her by any means necessary. She was his friend, the only one he had ever had, and he had to see her again.

His young ten-year-old mind remembered that Johanna's father had been wearing a hat, one with the word MARINE on it. Her father was obviously in the Navy, and maybe, just maybe that was the way he could see Johanna again.

The young Sakazuki decided in that moment that he had to become a Marine in order to be closer to Johanna, by any and all means necessary.

* * *

**Aww, young love at first sight! Isn't it so cute? **

**Sooo what did you ducklings think of this first chapter? If any of you have read or follow my stories Against the Tide and Perception, then you're aware of the SakazukixOC pairing I have in there. Johanna is Sakazuki's love and his everything, here we see their first meeting when they were young children and they'll continue to be part of one another's lives until death do them part. *grins*  
**

**Now originally I wasn't a big fan of Akainu/Sakazuki, especially after Marineford where he killed Ace, but I absolutely adore Johanna and the more I wrote about Johanna and Sakazuki, the more I found myself warming up to him somewhat. I love writing this pairing out so I came up with the idea for more background on Sakazuki and Johanna's past together.**

**I'm not sure how long this particular story will be, hopefully no more than 10 or so chapters but we'll just have to see where the plot bunnies take this fanfic! Updates won't be very regular since I work over 40 hours a week and have several other stories currently that I'm working on as well, but I won't give up on this story I can promise you all that!  
**

**Hope you all enjoy~! Please tell me what you ducklings thought, good or bad! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! I'm so happy to see that this story has a small bit of interest! Thank you to every single duckling that has favorite/followed or reviewed, it means more to me than you'll ever know!**

**Ace Portgas D- Thank you so much! I'm glad to see you're enjoying the story so far, I can't promise a date for when I'll actually get to update but I'm already working on the second chapter to this fic so hopefully it won't be too terribly long.**

** SirButterBottoms- YAY! My cheeks are now hurting from me smiling too much at your review! I'm glad you're anticipating the next chapter and I promise I'm furiously working on it so it hopefully won't be too terribly long until the next chapter is uploaded! :D *gives you Akainu-shaped cookies* Here ya go duckling! Welcome to the insanity!**

**BatmanSwim2016- Dawww thank you~! And I can't blame you for still hating Saka. I'm still mad at him for the way he acts, but when he's with Johanna, it's just the cutest thing ever! XD**

* * *

Chapter 2

"Be careful, Johanna!" The sixteen-year-old boy called out to the girl he was completely enamored with, said girl who was currently climbing up a very tall tree.

The curly-haired girl turned her head back slightly, grinning down at her friend before waving down to him with one hand. "Look how high up I am! I can see the top, and it won't be long now until I make it!"

Sakazuki groaned. "I can't watch..." He just knew something terrible would happen and so, in order to keep from watching, he buried his face in the palm of a hand.

"Almost there!"

His gut was telling him this wouldn't end well...

"Just a few more... SAKA!"

The boy ripped his hand down, eyes wide in horror as he watched Johanna's grip slip, falling back even as she scrambled to try and find something to hold onto.

"JOHANNA!"

Sakazuki began to panic, fear and dread filling his very being as his head whipped from side to side, searching for something, anything to help him protect his friend! But as he lifted his head again, he found that Johanna was rapidly getting closer and closer and if he didn't do something soon...

Gritting his teeth together, he lunged forward, arms straight out as Johanna plummeted toward the ground and just before she collided with the earth...

"OOF!" The teens crashed into each other, Sakazuki breaking Johanna's fall with the petite girl landing directly on top of his back.

"Oh gods! Saka, are you alright?!" She quickly scrambled off her friend, tugging him up into a sitting position as blue eyes scanned over him to see if he had any visible injuries.

"'M fine," he mumbled under his breath, wincing as he moved too quickly in one area.

"OH GOD, I'VE KILLED YOU!" Johanna instantly burst into tears, shaking his shoulders furiously. "I'm so so so so so so sorry! I never meant to kill you this way!"

The teen shook his head, trying his hardest not to laugh at the sight. Johanna always had been one with a flair for the dramatic, and this instance was no different. "I promise Johanna, I'm not dying. I'll probably be sore for awhile but... Wait, what do you meant you didn't mean to kill me _this way_? You saying you planned to end my life in a different way?"

Johanna's tears slowly dried, eyes narrowed to a glare as she began to beat against Sakazuki's chest with her small fists. "Ohhh you're the worst, Saka! I could have killed you and you're sitting here making jokes!"

Sakazuki slowly grinned, reaching a hand out to gently tug at one of Johanna's white curls. "I can't be so weak that I die after being almost crushed one time. After all, I have to get stronger so I can protect you, don't I?"

The girl snorted, giving a delicate shake of her head. "And you think eventually becoming a Marine is the best way to do that? Just skip the boring Navy training and come along on adventures with me once we're both able! You could be my bodyguard that way!"

Sakazuki chuckled. "I can't. I feel as though my destiny is to be a Marine, you know that."

Blue eyes rolled in response, Johanna's arms crossing in front of her. "Some destiny! It sounds positively boring!"

The teenaged boy's eyes narrowed and he playfully shoved the girl who held his affections. "You'll see! Someday I'll be one of the greatest Marines that's ever lived!"

Lips coiled to a slow smirk as Johanna stared up at Sakazuki. "Oh?"

"Yeah! I'm going to be an Admiral one day! And then, I'll become Fleet Admiral after that!"

The girl hummed thoughtfully before reaching a hand out and gently flicking his nose. "And what's the point of all this power and fame?"

Sakazuki could slowly feel his cheeks begin to burn and quickly whipped his head to the side. "I just said it's my destiny... What more could there be?" Besides the fact he wanted more than anything to have Johanna notice him and approve of him. Only him.

"Bo-ring! I'd much rather have you just come along with me!"

The boy felt his lips quirk upwards into a smirk. "Maybe someday, but I'd like us to be able to have our own adventures. Just the two of us." He motioned with a finger to Johanna and then to himself.

That seemed to make Johanna happy as she beamed brightly. "Oh I'd absolutely love that, Saka! We'd have the best time of it, wouldn't we?"

The pair laughed until Johanna heard the sharp familiar call of her name, looking over her shoulder before releasing a small sigh. "That's Daddy calling for me..."

"Oh." Sakazuki couldn't hide the disappointment at knowing that his closest friend would once again have to leave him behind. "You'll write me soon though, right?"

After that fated first encounter six years earlier, Johanna had managed to send the first letter to Sakazuki and thus the pair were able to continually communicate with one another until Johanna was able to travel back to the island with her father. Those letters were some of Sakazuki's most prized possessions, though he'd never let Johanna know this fact. Each and every letter from his long-time friend had been kept in a box, and Sakazuki made sure to guard that box with his life anytime the situation had called for such a thing.

"You'd better believe it!"

The pair smiled sadly at one another before Johanna slowly stood to her feet, brushing herself off before giving her friend a half-salute. "I guess this is it for now... But I'll write you soon!"

"If you don't forget that is," Sakazuki grinned at the blush that adorned Johanna's cheeks, barking out a laugh as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I-I will not! Just you wait!" Hands planted themselves to her hips. "I'll start writing my letter to you the moment I get back to the ship!" The petite girl turned on her heel and began to stomp off, but not before turning back around and grinning as widely as she possibly could. "You'd better not forget about me while I'm gone!"

Sakazuki smirked, shaking his head slowly. "How could I ever forget you, Johanna?"

Especially when she was all he ever thought about? Already he was looking forward to the next visit, and it couldn't come soon enough for him.

* * *

Some time passed, letters were continually sent between the two and there were few visits over the years, but finally when they were both in their early twenties...

"SAKA!" Johanna squealed and threw herself against her old friend, her arms wrapping as tightly as they possibly could around his waist. "You've gotten so big!" It was true, she had to tilt her head back just to be able to look up into his face, while she... Well, she hadn't grown very much at all over the years as she barely came up to his midsection.

"How many times do I have to tell you, it's Sakazuki and not Saka!" The twenty-three year old groaned and shook his head, all the while unable to take his eyes off the friend who had changed so much over the years.

"It's just not fair..." Johanna's lips curved into a small pout, arms crossing in front of her as she huffed in a childish fashion. "You and Daddy are both so tall and I'm so tiny!" She stomped a foot in frustration, eyes blazing as she heard her friend begin to chuckle at her antics.

"Oh, and just _what_ pray tell is so funny?" She planted her hands to her hips, straightening her back in order to stand up to her full height... Which still wasn't very tall in comparison to her friend.

"Ah, it's nothing, you're just kind of adorable when you get flustered like that." A larger hand reached down and ruffled at wild, snow-white curls.

Johanna gave an indignant cry and swatted Sakazuki's hand away. "Y-You stop that!" Her cheeks slowly began to flush a bright crimson color. "I'm _not_ adorable! I am the future greatest adventurer that has ever lived! Great adventurers are _not_ adorable!"

And once again there was the mention of Johanna's great dream. All her life she had been inspired by the life of the greatest adventurer ever, Livingstone Clark, and after she had read of every single one of his adventures, she had decided for herself that she too would one day be a great adventurer.

She had begun her travels three years earlier at the age of nineteen and from there, her fame and notoriety had only grown.

And now here they both were, Johanna taking a short break from her adventures, and Sakazuki finally entering the Navy in order to become a Marine and they were finally reunited after so long apart.

"S-So Johanna," Sakazuki nervously began, a hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. "How long are you planning on staying? I was hoping we could catch up some, maybe have some dinner or drinks?"

Blue eyes blinked before Johanna's features warmed and she shook her head slowly. "I wish I could Saka, but I've got to get back to the seas. Those adventures won't find themselves after all!" She laughed, until her eyes saw the brief look of pain that covered her friend's face.

"Oh, I suppose you're right..." It was stupid to think Johanna would ever want to spend extra time with him. True, they were childhood friends, but now Johanna had her own life and own important things to do.

"But maybe I could spare one more night!" Johanna hastily broke in, grinning from ear to ear as she slipped her hand into Sakazuki's. "The seas will be there waiting for me in the morning! After all, I don't get to see my best friend every day now do I?"

The young Marine tried to ignore the pain that filled his chest as she claimed him to be her best friend, instead deciding to be grateful that she was willing to spare one more night just for him. "I'd like that. Dinner and drinks will be on me tonight."

At the mention of a free meal, blue eyes sparkled. "Well, look at you, Mr. Big-Shot Marine! I should come home and visit more often if I get this kind of treatment!" With that, she began to tug on Sakazuki's hand, dragging him off in the direction she wanted them to head toward.

Gently, Sakazuki squeezed Johanna's hand with his, a slow grin making its way across his face as he tried to keep up with his friend's quick pace. "Keep that up and you'll have left me behind!"

"Then you should walk faster!" Johanna laughed this response out, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We have to hurry! I want to be able to tell you about all of my adventures so far! The places I've been to, the people I've met... Including a few _very_ nice men." She craned her head over her shoulder, flashing a grin to the young man who she had just unknowingly crushed.

He should have known she would have had some admirers, just look at her, she was beautiful and perfect in almost every sense of the word to him. But to actually hear from Johanna herself that she had met a few men, he just hadn't expected to hear her actually confirm it...

He'd play the part of the close friend for now, interested in every aspect of her travels, even if those travels included her meeting people. But there would come a day when Sakauzki would refuse to step aside, when enough would be enough and he would be able to make Johanna see that he was the only one who could love her the way she deserved.

It was only a matter of time and in the meantime, he had to get stronger and become well-known enough that everyone would someday know his name.

* * *

**Poor Sakazuki, forever in the friend zone! *laughs* Well, not forever, but for a few more years he'll be stuck there! **

**The fist couple of chapters will be mainly told from Saka's point of view just to see how crazy he is about his childhood friend, but soon we'll get to the chapters that are all about Johanna and her travels. **

**Hope you all enjoy~! Please tell me what you ducklings thought, good or bad! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so very much to every single duckling that has favorite/followed or reviewed, it means more to me than you'll ever know!**

**Lobsters Are Blue- Well thank you! I'm so glad that you're liking my story so far! (And yes, I sometimes squeal too over how adorable Sakazuki and Johanna are together hehehe...) Don't get me wrong, he still makes me super mad for how he killed Ace and his overall attitude in the One Piece world, but I just love writing he and Johanna out because it shows a different side to him that I much prefer. Thank you so much duckling~!**

**BatmanSwim2016- *laughs* It's alright duckie! Trust me, I'm super conflicted as well because one side tells me, HE'S A JERK! And the other side is saying, BUT BUT BUT, HE'S SO CUTE WITH HIS WIDDLE CRUSH ON JOHANNA!**

**Guest: Alice- Ah, Akainu's darker side... I do plan on writing about that in the future, but that won't be until toward the end of this story. Hope you plan on having a box of tissues nearby for the events that bring that side out...**

**Missy anon- Yay! I'm glad you did decide to stop and read my little story here! It's true that now in the current One Piece timeline, he's a complete jerk and is not a very nice person at all, but I can picture him being a somewhat nice person once upon a time. I hope you'll continue to read along and enjoy duckling!**

**sam-free15- Oh trust me I greatly dislike current Saka too, but he's too darn cute with Johanna. *hearts in my eyes***

**Guest: miekkkoo- Thank you so much! I'm glad you love the story so far and trust me when I say there will be plenty more to come! **

**jasje20- Thanks so much! :D I'm already hard at work on the next chapter so look forward to it! **

**Cinnamon-Fudg3- Yes, poor Saka! XD Forever friendzoned! He needs a sassy cross-dressing friend to help him out as well!**

**belladu57- Thank you so much duckie. :) I'm glad you think the story is good so far and hope you continue to enjoy. **

* * *

_L is for the way you look at me_  
_ O is for the only one I see_  
_ V is very, very extraordinary_  
_ E is even more than anyone that you adore can_

_ Love is all that I can give to you_  
_ Love is more than just a game for two_  
_ Two in love can make it_  
_ Take my heart and please don't break it_  
_ Love was made for me and you_

_~L-O-V-E sung by Nat King Cole_

Chapter 3

_Dear Saka, how have you been lately? It seems like it's been so long since we've been able to talk, especially with you rising up the ranks like you have been. What rank are you at this time? Ah, I can't even remember what your last rank was! I'm such a terrible friend, but I'm sure you'll let me know when you get the chance to respond! As for my latest adventures, I just finished exploring every inch of Amazon Lilly and the natives were very kind to me! Surprising, right? Well, I suppose it's not all that surprising since I don't have a cock between my legs, but anyway! The land itself is just so beautiful and amazing, it's no wonder that this place was one of Clark's most favorite places that he visited... I definitely have to come back here again someday, and maybe you could come visit it with me too! That is, if the natives don't murder you first._

_Your friend, Johanna~_

_P.S. I miss you, Saka! Make sure you don't forget me before I can visit you again!_

Sakazuki chuckled, a slight smile on his face as he kept rereading the latest letter he had received from Johanna. The letter went on to say that her next stop would be at Fishman Island and she was excited for the next adventure.

If only she could come visit every once in awhile, then maybe this sense of loneliness wouldn't bother him as badly...

"Oh~ what's this? Johanna's written you again?"

Sakazuki grit his teeth, quickly jerking his hand down before whirling around to find Borsalino peering over his shoulder. "Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to try and read other people's mail?!"

That made the lazy man blinked before reaching a hand to his scalp, a finger digging against his scalp as though this were the first time he had heard such a thing. "Eh? Is it?"

Don't kill him. Don't kill him. Don't kill him. This had become one of Sakazuki's constant inner mantras ever since he had first met the laid-back Borsalino, a person so very different than Sakazuki himself was.

"I was just curious, after all it's pretty sad how Johanna keeps stringing you along like she has been. Don't you agree, Sakazuki?" The other man shrugged, completely unaware of the rage emanating from Sakazuki.

"You don't know her!" he snapped, eyes blazing. "You don't know a damn thing about her, so don't presume to even think you could possibly understand her!"

Without even waiting for a response, the young man stood to his feet and stomped off away from Borsalino, his precious letter from Johanna clutched to his chest. Borsalino didn't understand her, nobody did the way that Sakazuki understood Johanna!

Yes, the way she freely spoke of her adventures and many sexual escapades crushed him like nothing else ever had, but someday he would make Johanna see that no matter what she did, he would _always_ be there waiting for her.

* * *

_Dear Johanna, I've been doing well I suppose. I have to keep telling myself I can't choke the fools here to death, but other than that I'm still enjoying my career as a Marine. I've recently made the rank of Captain, so here on out you have to refer to me as Captain Sakazuki, although I know you won't. You never do as you're told, but that's one of the things I admire about you. Maybe someday in the not so distant future you can come back here and I can show you all of my achievements so far. I'll be honest, I really miss seeing you, you're the only person I feel as though I can completely trust and confide in... At any rate, I'm glad to hear your adventures are still going well, it seems as though your face is in the newspapers every couple of weeks with all of your accomplishments. It's nicer to hear from you yourself though than from some reporter who doesn't know you like I do. _

_Ever yours, Sakazuki_

_P.S. I wonder how many times I'll have to tell you to stop calling me Saka before you actually listen for once._

Johanna grinned as she finished reading her friend's letter, letting out a happy sigh as she sat on the hard wood of the Oro Jackson's deck.

"What's that happy look for?"

Blue eyes sparkled mischievously as Johanna turned her head over her shoulder to find her long-time friend grinning down at her. "Just got the latest letter from one of my best friends."

"Ah, that Marine boy? Why don't you just marry the poor guy already? It's obvious from his letters that he's madly in love with you!"

She snorted, rolling her eyes in response. "Don't be stupid, Roger. Saka and I have been close since we were kids, that would be like saying you and I should get hitched!"

Gol D. Roger laughed, ruffling his hand against her white curls. "Ah, but the difference is I'm not in love with you and see you like the little sister I never had!"

A snarky smirk settled across her face. "Are you sure you don't want me to end up with Saka because you'd rather I stop sleeping with Rayleigh every time I visit you?"

"It's unnatural!" the pirate captain snapped. "You're like my sister and he's my first mate! Any adopted older brother would feel the same way if his first mate was sleeping with his little sister no matter how many times it's happened!"

"And we're also two people with carnal needs," she shrugged before laughing at the look of horror and disgust on her friend's face. "If it makes you feel better, he's not that good a lay? Hasn't been able to bring me to climax even once."

Roger planted his hands over his ears, screwing his eyes shut. "I'm not listening to this! Just know that we're about to submerge and head for Fishman Island!"

The petite woman snickered before standing from where she sat, brushing herself off and tucking the letter in her back pocket. The topic of Saka marrying her reminded Johanna that she really should help her close friend find a nice girl of his own, especially considering how clueless he was when it came to women.

Next time she went home, she would definitely try and help her friend find the girl of his dreams! Well, if he didn't completely shoot the idea down first.

* * *

Livingston Clark had been right, this place was simply amazing. Johanna's first impression was that Fishman Island was a place she could never get enough of, and she simply didn't want to leave even after being on the island for several days.

Roger's crew had met the royal family during their stay there, and now for their final night on the island a special dinner was being held in their honor at the strict demand of Madam Rhea, queen of the island and her beloved family. Johanna had been fairly surprised to learn that Rhea was a fortune-teller, a mermaid gifted with visions of the future.

Johanna was currently laughing, unable to believe the things she was being told would happen to those she knew. "No way! _Roger_ falling head over heels in love with a freckled lass? I just can't see it!"

Madam Rhea cackled under her breath. "Ah, but you haven't seen the things I have, young one. For instance, your two daughters will both someday fall in love with pirates. They'll break their poor father's heart by doing that, though he'll be too stubborn to admit that. And I can guarantee that all of your many grandchildren will be too damn adorable for their own good."

Johanna's eyes snapped open and she began to choke on her drink, beating a fist against her chest while others stared at her, one bystander even gently patting her on the back. Well, you might be choking too if you just received the shock of your life...

"W-Would you mind repeating what you just said?" Blue eyes were wide as saucers as Johanna stared at the mermaid who had just delivered her the unbelievable news.

The blue tang mermaid snorted, rolling her eyes as she reached a hand out and smacked her palm against the top of the human woman's head. "What's so hard to believe that I've forseen that you'll one day have a family of your own? Stupid girl..."

"Ow!" Johanna whimpered and rubbed the top of her head, all the while glaring at the older mermaid. "I don't think you understand," the curly-haired woman began. "A family is _not_ in the cards for me. I've no desire to raise a brat! I've got my own life to live after all and a kid would slow me down! Besides, children usually run from me in terror!"

"Even the worst of people deserve the simplest of joys. Criminals and vagabonds have children all the time," the mermaid stated simply.

"I'M NOT _THAT_ BAD A PERSON!" She ground her teeth together, several of the men from Roger's crew having to hold her back from pouncing on the mermaid. "But do you not get that I would make a shit mother?! I'd never put any kid through that!"

"I thought I already told you that you'll have two daughters, not one brat as you so eloquently put it. How hard of hearing exactly are you, child?" Rhea's lips curved upwards into a smirk. "Would it help to know that even though your first child will be a complete accident, she'll wind up being very similar to you?"

"No, it does _not_ help!" Johanna's eyes narrowed to slits, shaking her head as she began to walk off. "I refuse to listen to this," she muttered.

"She won't hardly look like you, but she'll inherit your spirit. Your younger daughter will be quite the opposite though. She'll inherit more of your looks, but will have more of a gentle, sweeter soul. She'll have the heart of a healer."

Was this old bat still going on about her future children? Well, she'd set that straight. Johanna would see to it that she never got herself pregnant, that would take care of the issue of child-rearing.

"Your husband and soul mate will be the person you least expect to ever fall in love with."

She'd just refuse to ever marry. Johanna never saw herself as the type to accept anyone's marriage proposal anyway.

"And your death will be the one thing that destroys your family completely."

Johanna froze mid-step at that, unable to move or even breathe for a few moments. Death? She had to have heard wrong, there was no way she would die! She still had decades to live her dreams out! She had too much to do!

Slowly the curly-haired woman turned to face the now stoic Rhea, forcing herself to swallow. "You said you've seen my death?"

"My visions are never wrong, child." Rhea's lips curved upwards into a sad smirk. "And try as you might, you won't be able to escape it. Unless..."

Hope bloomed in Johanna's chest at hearing that last word. "Unless?"

"Unless you allow your oldest daughter to die in your stead. And her conception is going to happen whether you want it to or not, so trying to say that you'll be safe if you don't have her, is laughable. You either accept your fate, or you let your child die instead." The mermaid was blunt and to the point, as her gaze focused completely on the human before her.

Why was the room suddenly spinning?

"Johanna!"

She felt arms wrap around her just as her world went black.

* * *

**Hehe so here we see a bit from Johanna's POV. I absolutely love writing Johanna out, she's one of my all-time favorite self-made characters and she's just so much fun!**

**Those of you who follow Against the Tide should find this scene to be very familiar and all-too sad. Next chapter, I'll be continuing with a little more from Fishman Island and then we'll get back to Saka.**

**Hope you all enjoy~! Please tell me what you ducklings thought, good or bad! **


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